Position indicator for aircraft



I J. T. MORSE 2,?43g54 POSITION INDICATOR FOB AIRCRAFT Feb 25, 193% Filed May 8. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l 5 n Y Q T Inventor J; T 111mg,

Attorney Feb. 25, 1930. J. T. MORSE POSITION INDICATOR FOR AIRCRAFT Filed May 8. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Infientar c7; ZZZ/arse,

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Attornqy Ratented Feb. 25, 1930 JAMES '1. MORSE, OF BBENTWOOD HEIGHTS, CALIFORNIA POSITION INDICATOR FOR AIRCRAFT Application filed May s, 1928. Serial no. 276,157.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in position indicators particularly adaptable for use in air crafts, and aims to provide a means whereby the pilot of an aeroplane or airship may determine at a glance if the machine is ascending or descending, or whether it is riding on a level keel at any set altitude, and also as to whether or not the ship is tilting to one side or the other, thereby varying its course other than by the natural drift of the ship. An important object of this invention is to provide a device of this, character that is of extremely simple construction and positive in its operation so that the pilot of the aeroplane or airship may determine at'a glance if the machine is ascending or'descending or tilted to either its right or left. v In the drawings wherein like reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the present device.

Figure 2 is an end elevation.

, Figure 3 is a top plan view.

Figure 4 is a detail longitudinal section, and

Figure 5 is a detail vertical section.

Now having particular reference to the drawings, my novel device consists of a frame 5 of rectangular or square shape and of any particular construction, and adapted to be supported in a vertical position at the point of balance of an aeroplane or airship.

The opposite end walls of this frame 5 are formed with registering curved slots 6, while looselyarranged therein are the supporting pintles 77 of ahorizontally arranged indicator plate 8 having a curved lower edge and 40 terminating at its opposite ends in slight spaced relation with the end walls of the frame 5 so that the plate will be free to swing within the frame. 5

Loosely pivoted upon and suspended from the top wall of the frame 5 intermediate the ends. thereof is a pendulum 9 havin a vertical slot thereinthrough which sai plate 8 is arranged to permit the pendulum to swing longitudinally with respect to said plate, lateral swinging movement of the pendulum causing the lateral swinging movement of said plate. The lower end of this pendulum 9 is equipped with a suitable weight 10. Upon one or both faces of the plate 8 adjacent its curved edge and at opposite sides of the center point thereof are degree markings a so that the degree ofinclination or descension of the ship may be readily determined.

The outer ends of the plate supporting pintles 7-7 are equipped with pointers 11-11 while the outer surfaces of the end walls of the frame 5 at opposite sides of the center point and beneath these pointers are provided with degree markings b so that the lateral tilting of the ship in either direction may be readily determined. The top wall of the frame 5 may-be and preferably is equipped with a suitable compass 13.

It will thus be seen that Ihave provided a novel, simple, and useful position indicator 7 for air crafts that is Well adapted for all the purposes heretofore designated, even though I have herein'shown and described the invention as consisting of certain detail structural elements it is nevertheless to be understood that some changes may be made therein without affecting the spirit and scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new is An inclinometer comprisin an open frame including a top wall, andsi e walls having arcuate bearing slots therein, a pendulum including a stem having a longitudinally extending slot therein, and a weight on the lower end of the stem, means connecting the upper end of the stem to the top wall for universal swinging movement, a substantially horizontal plate within the frame and disposed" through the slot in said stem, bearings formed on the ends of the plate at the upper edge thereof and received in said bearing s1 ts, t 9 late having graduations on its op osite aces over which the stem of the en ulum 5 is adapted to swing, the side we s of the frame having graduations on the outer faces thereof adjacent to the bearing-slots, and gginters carried by the outer ends of said arings for sWin-gin movement over said graduations, on the si e walls.

In testimony whereof I aflix m signature. 7

JAMES T. ORSE. 

